


Storm by the Sea

by MissHyacinths



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Canon Divergence, Edwin VanCleef/Mathias Shaw (Implied), Flashbacks, Frottage, M/M, Repressed Memories, Shaw is touched-starved and traumatised someone give him a smooch, Storms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:20:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26972056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissHyacinths/pseuds/MissHyacinths
Summary: Shaw finds he doesn’t want to look away from Flynn’s soft gaze and so he doesn’t “It’s the weather” he settles on “it makes me think of home”“Stormwind, eh? Think I’d like to see it someday”“Continue to impress me, Captain and I’ll take you there myself”Shaw finds himself stuck in a Storm with non-other than the infamous Flynn Fairwind. Storms never fail to remind the Spymaster of home, which isn't always a good thing.
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw
Comments: 7
Kudos: 69





	Storm by the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this literally ages ago but I forgot what I was doing and now it's just 3000 words of rambling idk I just like these two a lot and wanted to add something to the tag. Here's to hoping they're in character and there is a plot here somewhere. If you read I hope you enjoy <3

Mathias Shaw’s shin never failed to ache when a storm was coming. It brought back bittersweet memories from when he’d broken it at thirteen, he’d been climbing roofs with Edwin when the taller boy had slipped. Shaw had made to grab him but his leaner frame meant he was pulled right over the side with his friend; he broke his shin, Edwin his arm. 

Edwin’s father and Mathias’ grandmother had been displeased at best, Furious at worst. Edwin’s father was angry because the boys were climbing without supervision or the correct safety equipment. Mathias’ grandmother was disappointed because he'd fallen at all. Even now as he trekked through Stormsong he could conjure the face she’d given him, “You fell?” there was an accusation in the question, almost like she didn’t believe the story she’d been told.

“Well, Edwin fell” he’d offered lamely “I tried to catch him”

She’d smiled at him, a familiar yet fond tease playing in her eyes as she ruffled his hair “Next time,” she spoke, her tone painfully gentle, “let him fall alone”

Shaw locked the memory back away and returned to the present, casting his eyes back to his company “Storm’s coming”

Captain Flynn Fairwind, pulled his lips away from the canteen he’d been drinking from to look at the clouds behind him accusingly “Right you are” he spoke in a tone far too chipper for Shaw and his sombre mood, “Surprised a mainlander noticed a storm in the clouds before I did. Little embarrassing actually”

“I wasn’t looking at the clouds” he offered curter than intended. The horde had set up an outpost in Stormsong in a location too prime to ignore. Shaw had been assigned to guarantee its destruction and he’d thought it might be a good learning opportunity for Fairwind seeing as he had been... _acceptable_ help during the Zandalari treasury heist. He watched his companion, who was now shaking the last few drops of whatever concoction was in the bottom of his flask into his open mouth and against his better judgement asked, “Alright Captain, I’m letting you take the reins on this one. What’s our plan?”

Flynn stopped viciously shaking his flask and turned to look at Shaw like he’d grown a third head, “You’re letting _me_ pick the plan?”

“Yes, are you going to make me regret that?”

“Absolutely not, mate.” he stuffs his flask back in his coat and rubs his hands together in a way that almost feels more Goblin than human “Alright here’s what I’m thinking; Explosions.” 

Shaw waited for a few seconds before nodding “Go on” 

Fairwind beamed at him before skillfully pulling their map out of Shaw’s belt and pointing zealously “A’right, so you mentioned there was a horde mine by the coast, I say we go down there, permanently borrow some explosions and forget them by the outpost and let the storm do the rest” he looked back up at Shaw with a pleased expression, “Flawless.”

“It has potential” the Spymaster conceded “but how do we guarantee the lightning strikes the munitions?” 

He shrugs too causally for Shaw’s liking “Orcs like their spikes, they’re basically built-in lighting rods, if the Storm doesn’t get ‘em I can only assume the horde has the titans on their side and we should cut our losses now” 

Unsuccessfully trying to stop himself from rolling his eyes, Shaw runs the plan through his head “So you’re saying leave the mutations near the buildings and hope the storm does the rest?” 

“Aye, that’s it! See this is why you’re the Spymaster. They won’t even be able to pin it to us, as far as they’re concerned it’ll be a freak accident, no revenge required! And a plan that ends without me having to pull an arrow out my arse is a win in my books, what do’ya say?” 

“I’m not a fan of plans that rely on concepts such as ‘hope’ and ‘luck’, Captain” 

Flynn gasped as though he’d heard something offensive “Mate, I’m a sailor. I live by those ‘concepts’” when Shaw didn’t concede he sighed dramatically “Come on, at worse if the storm doesn’t get the scoundrels we come back set them off during the aftermath of the storm. They’ll never know what hit them” he looks back at the clouds “but time is short so I’m going to need the green light preferably within the next ten seconds, lest we get caught in our own explosives- which lemme tell you, I don’t recommend” 

The red-head decided not to ask about the story behind that and sighed, “Very well. Let’s get too it” 

“Yes!” Fairwind grinned, all too happy about the idea of blowing something up, “Let’s go!”

* * *

“Admit it” Flynn grinned in that utterly scandalous but charming way in which he did everything as he shook the rain off his coat “I’d make a fantastic SI:7 agent” 

Shaw swept his wet hair off his face as he followed the ex-pirate into the cave he’d scouted to wait out the storm, “Let’s not be too generous. You’d be a _tolerable_ agent. At best.” 

“Tolerable?! At best?! The cheek!” slumping against the wall and sliding down it he pointed a finger at the spymaster “You said yourself it was a good plan.”

“I said it has potential. It remains to be seen if it actually works.” he ignored the captain who pats the ground next to him in invitation and instead settled against the wall opposite him. Fairwind opened his mouth ready to reply with a no-doubt witty remark before the grumbling of thunder stopped him, from this angle neither of them could see outside the cave entrance but Shaw didn’t doubt the lighting that would be striking across the sky would be plentiful- perhaps Fairwinds plan would work after all. 

“Say” Flynn caught his attention after the rumbling quiets ever so slightly “how’d you know there was a storm coming? You made a pretty snippy remark on how you _weren’t looking at the clouds”_ he finished the sentence in an overly dramatic version of Shaw’s accent that honestly bordered on offensive. Shaw scowled “I don’t sound like that” 

“Sorry to tell you, mate, but yes you do” he tilted his head, a gesture Shaw took as a request to go back his previously asked question,

“An old break in my shin starts the ache when we’re in for a bad storm.”

“Ah, that’s less exciting. Thought maybe you had some innate ability to predict the weather alongside knowing everything about everyone. I wouldn’t be giving you back to the alliance if that was the case, could do with a personal weatherman when sailing.”

A small smile twitched at the corner of his mouth “Probably for the best, I’d have firmly objected.”

Flynn made an offended noise, “Don’t pretend you don’t love me mate, you wouldn’t have asked me here otherwise” 

Shaw huffed “I was more objecting the sailing, I haven’t much of a care for it.” he waited long enough Fairwinds expression to brighten at the idea the only reason Shaw would object to being stolen away by him was the sailing before adding “that and I’m not sure I’d be able to tolerate your childish behaviour while trapped in the middle of the ocean- we both would not reach the shore alive.” 

Fairwind’s bright expression dropped which to Mathias’ surprise made his stomach do the same, “You didn’t have to drag me along if I’m such tragic company” he grumbled pulling another flask from his pocket and chugging it, Shaw attempted to offer an expression he hoped was apologetic. 

“It was a poor attempt at humour, Captain. I apologise” 

Flynn’s expression remained far too neutral for a few too many beats before he shrugged and went back to his flask “Really bloody hard to tell with you”

Shaw didn’t really have a response; he just shrugs in return. A few more beats of silence passed before apparently, Fairwind had grown bored of it as he asked, “How’d you break your shin?”

“Pardon?”

“You said you knew a storm was brewing ‘cause of a break in your shin. How’d you break it?”

Truth be told he didn’t have any desire to recite any of his boyhood stories with Edwin- then he remembers he was the spymaster and could answer with the classic; 

“Classified, captain”

Flynn made a noise akin to a balloon deflating, “Come on, I’ll tell you about this one time I broke my wrist- hurt like a bastard.”

“And how, pray to tell, did you manage that?”

Much to the Spymasters dismay, Flynn maintained heavy eye contact, grinned and then _winked_. A disgusted noise left Shaw’s mouth before he could stop himself making the ex-pirate laugh, 

“What?” he asked innocently,

“You’re a depraved creature, Captain”

“Don’t know what you’re on about mate. Slipped off the riggings during a rough storm and landed on my wrist” his grin widened “What did you think I did?”

Shaw’s mouth opened and closed before he huffed “Nothing”

“Did you think I-” he made a noise of great shock as if he hadn’t purposely implied what he was wordlessly accused of, “Master Shaw! I had no idea you had such a _filthy_ mind. I’m shocked, shocked I tell you-”

“Alright, settle down.” he grumbled, “I’m still not telling you” 

Flynn seemed less offended then he expected him to be, instead he just stuck his tongue out and returned to his flask. Something about the gesture disconnected- or rather connected something in Mathias’ mind and for a brief horrifying moment, he was across a wooden table, facing Edwin VanCleef, ebon hair dark and tumbling loosely over his shoulders after a long day of work, drink pressed against his lips. Green eyes flitted to Shaw’s form and a smile creased underneath them “You alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” the voice that spoke wasn’t anywhere as near deep as Edwins had been and Mathias forced himself to blink. Green eyes fluttered to sea grey, the grin melting into a frown of concern as the warm glow of the bar dimmed to the dark shadows of the cave. Fairwind was back in front of him watching him with concern that made Shaw’s insides crawl. 

He was being asked a question he realised as he looks away from the man to stare at the wall and imagine the storm outside instead, “I’m fine.” he tries evenly, he doesn’t think it works but he feels Fairwind’s gaze leave him. He tries to calm himself and thinks of the lightning outside leaping in jagged strokes across the sky, the grey intertwined with the gentle white of the clouds and rain painting the ground. He wills the picture to take him to a calm place, instead, he finds himself in his old apartment in stormwind, sitting by the window watching the storm idly, he can hear Edwin busying himself behind him, his footfalls coming closer as a hand rests upon his shoulder-

He slaps the hand away, rounding on its owner only to find Fairwind beside him, hands up in mock surrender, face riddled with hints of worry. Shaw finds himself infuriated at the expression, infuriated at the closeness, just _infuriated_ -

“Do not ever presume to touch me, _Captain_ ” 

He’d assumed the coldness would push Fairwind away, instead, he just brings his warmth closer, settling beside the Spymaster and coaxing the man to relax with a tentative hand to his elbow, the gesture gentle and deliberate like one would calm a stray cat- 

“Sorry” the Captain offers sincerely without removing the hand on his elbow, Shaw feels his anger leave as quickly as it arrived, leaving just tiredness in his wake. Thoughts of Edwin made him feel like he hadn’t slept since the man left- truth be told maybe he hadn’t, not properly anyway. 

“I shouldn’t have pried,” Flynn continued, “was just curious. Sorry”

Shaw shakes his head, willing it to be calm “Wasn’t your fault” he sighs “I apologise” he makes himself to look at Fairwind who is closer than he realised, his shoulder warm against Shaw’s, his smile warmer still- “No harm done” he takes a deep drink from his flask before holding it out to the rogue and shaking it in offer, 

“I don’t drink.” 

“You sure mate? I won’t tell if you won’t, looks like you could use it” 

“No, thank you-” he pushes the hand away gentle “One of us needs to stay sober” 

Fairwind grins at him then “Fine, be responsible then” he laughs when Shaw elbows him in the ribs and the redhead feels the corner of his mouth twitch up at the sound despite himself. He stares at the creases beneath Flynn’s eyes, the stray hair coming loose from their ribbon and curling around his weathered skin, the light dimples punctuating his bright smile- 

It makes him wonder if he’ll ever learn. 

Those ocean blue eyes find his venom green orbs, “You’re a mite spacey today, Mathias. You sure you’re doing okay?”

Shaw finds he doesn’t want to look away from Flynn’s soft gaze and so he doesn’t “It’s the weather” he settles on “it makes me think of home” 

“Stormwind, eh? Think I’d like to see it someday” 

“Continue to impress me, Captain and I’ll take you there myself” 

“ _Continue to impress me”_ he mimics with a soft laugh, amusement sparkling in his eyes “You promise?” he holds out his little finger and grins, Shaw looks at him exasperatedly before hooking his own little finger into the ex-pirates, 

“Yes, I promise” 

If possible, Flynn’s grin got wider, slipping his little finger away in favour of interlocking their fingers together, “nice”.

Shaw huffs at him, their eyes and fingers still locked, the spymaster finds it grounding so he doesn’t look away or reclaim his hand, neither does Fairwind. He’s not sure how long they’re caught up in each other's gaze but the tap of Flynn’s nose against his surprises him, he’s not sure how or when they got this close or who even moved first- what he does know is he can feel the Sailors hot breath against his mouth as the smallest, gentlest kiss his pressed to the corner of it. 

Flynn pulls back almost as soon their skin connects, searching Mathias’ face, offering him a chance to move away if he wants. That would be the smart thing to do, the _safe_ thing to do. He does neither the smart nor safe thing. Instead, his eyelids flutter closed and he moves to press his lips fully against the Captains. One of them makes a strangled noise and Shaw couldn’t honestly care less if it came from him as their hands separate to grab at each other's hair and skin. 

Apparently, as soon as Flynn’s first kiss had been pressed against his skin, the need for gentleness had all but vanished, the pirate's tongue licking into his mouth and moaning against his lips. Shaw could taste the remnants of whatever Fairwind had been drinking, it tasted like rum and vanilla and at that moment he was suddenly certain it was the best thing that had ever graced his tongue. 

Mathias grunt in surprise as he was all but shoved onto his back on the cold cave floor, a light sound of protest leaving his throat as Fairwind pulled away only for another surprised huff to leave him as Flynn grabbed his thighs and pulled him forward so they rest snuggly against each other, the sailor leans over him, hands either side of his head, face hovering over him- 

Flynn grins widely “Ahoy” 

Mathias huffs at him but smiles back “Hey” 

Fairwinds hand moves to trace Shaw’s cheekbone, the warmth of the touch leaving a burning in its wake, “You want to just leave it at a snog? Or do y’wanna keep going?” his fingers touch the curl of his moustache, the gentleness of the action makes Shaw aware of how painfully hard he is- of how painfully hard he can _feel_ Flynn is- 

The rumble of the storm outside makes Shaw hum “We’ve got time” 

“Was hoping you’d say that” the Captain slaps his hands against the outside of Shaw’s thighs, “Right! any requests?”

The redhead’s hand was still curled around the ex-pirates bicep and Shaw decided that was one too many layers between them- 

“I’d like it if the coat came off” 

Fairwind gasp in that utterly over-dramatic way of his “Mate, the coat stays _on_ during sex” 

_“Captain”_

“Alright, alright” he conceded, sitting back on his knees to pull off his heavy coat, “only because I like you so much”

“Much obliged” 

Once the coat was removed and thrown almost tenderly across the cave, he assumed his previous position, “Anything else Master Shaw?”

The blatantly inappropriate use of his title had more of an effect than he would admit as Mathias leaned up on his elbow to grope Fairwind through his breeches, “Another kiss might be nice”

Flynn laughed, curling his arms around Shaw’s torso and hauling him up into his lap, “Steady on there, Sailor. Let’s not get carried away” and then he kissed him anyway, slowly and deeply, in a way that had Mathias grasping at the captain's long ponytail. Absently he could feel Flynn fiddling with his belt, tugging at it brashly and freeing Mathias’ member from their confines. The firm hand around him almost made him forget how to breathe-

“Flynn” he hisses “ _Fuck._ ” 

“Getting there, mate. Hold your horses.” that earned him a halfhearted smack on the arm before Shaw moved to pull Flynn from his breeches, he moaned loudly as the leather of Mathias’ gloves stroked him from root to tip, smearing the precum that was forming at the top- 

“Say, how easy do stains come out your uniform?”

Shaw frowned “Easy enough- why?”

“Oh good, just wondering” 

Before he could ask further, Shaw was lowered against the floor again as Flynn slotted himself against him, touching from their noses down to their legs. Shaw groans before he can stop himself as Fairwinds member presses against his own, his large hand circling both of them-

“That's nice, keep making noises like that” he purrs, pulling back his hand to spit in it before circling them. To Mathias’ surprise instead of moving his hand, Flynn rocked his hips, his cock pulling against Mathias’ and then pushing, smearing precum along with him. For a moment Shaw wasn’t sure it would be enough, but then Fairwind pushed particularly hard, at an angle that pulled a small whine from his throat-

Nevermind, this could work. 

“That’s good” Shaw ground out as the Sailor moved a little faster, beginning to move his fist in alternate with his thrusts “ _Ah- Flynn_!” 

From where he was pressing almost chaste kisses against his mouth, he felt Flynn grin, “thought you might like that” his pace stuttered slightly “tides- there are so many things I want to do to you” 

Something between a laugh and a moan bubbled in Shaw’ throat “have a list on my desk by next week and I’ll see what I can do” 

At that Flynn squeezed him a touch tighter and all but licked his mouth “I’ll be bending you over that desk if you don’t watch it, mate”

The idea knocked the breath out of him “Fantastic”

With the thunder humming in the storm air beyond the cave, the soft panting echoing off the cold stone walls and the warm friction between his legs, it was everything Shaw might have ever hoped it’d be. It was messy, it was unprofessional and- by the light, _it was Perfect_.

The thought had Shaw cumming so hard, he arched his back and felt his legs shake through the release, he could feel the mess against his uniform but it didn’t matter, all that mattered was Flynn tensing against him and spilling alongside him. They would have collapsed, boneless and sweating if it hadn’t been for the loud **_BANG_ ** that shot them both up tense and-

Ah, the explosions they’d planted by the horde base, they must have gone off. Shaw felt himself relax, “sounds like your plan worked, after all, Captain Fairwind”

He felt Flynn also relax and laugh breathlessly “Dismantling horde bases _and_ seducing the Spymaster. Now how many of your agents can do _that.”_

Shaw huffed, the sound curling with amusement “Don’t look too proud of yourself Captain.” he pushed him gently so he could tuck himself away and clean the mess off his front- if he could get blood off his uniform he wasn’t too worried about other substances. 

“Say,” Flynn was on his feet offering his hand to the spymaster who took it with thanks “when we get back to Boralus, I’ll take you out for dinner after that I’ll do you proper.” he gave Shaw’s rear an affectionate pat “How about it?” 

Despite himself, Mathias smiled “It’s a date.”

  
  
⚓  
  



End file.
